Auld Lang Syne
by NordicsAwesome
Summary: Three couples ring in the new year. (DenNor, SuFin, HongIce)


**I**

Lukas turns his marshmallow slowly over the fire, and watches the sides burn golden.

Beside him, Matthias curses under his breath as his own marshmallow melts off the stick and falls into the fire. "Oh no," he says as it disintegrates amongst the flames. "That was my last one."

Lukas laughs quietly. "Here, you idiot. You can have mine." He extends the stick and Matthias bites clumsily at it. "Good?"

"_Mmm_. Positively orgasmic."

He wrinkles his nose. "Never say that again."

"Why not?" He presses his face close to Lukas' and presses tiny kisses along his jawline. "Am I _embarrassing_ you?"

Blushing, Lukas pushes him away. "No, you're embarrassing yourself."

"Aww. You're so mean to me."

Still grinning, Matthias turns back to the fire. Lukas watches him; the way his face is lit golden by the firelight, the amber flames dancing in his eyes, the sparks floating around him like winter fireflies. His love for Matthias hits him like a freight train – a sudden blow to the chest that leaves him reeling and breathless.

"Hey…" He says. It's quiet, so quiet he thinks Matthias might not have heard, but of course he has.

"Yes?" He turns to him, his face aglow, and Lukas struggles to find his voice.

"I…I know I don't say this a lot, not as much as I should, not as much as I want to, but…" he stares into the flickering flames. "I just…I love you a lot. I want you to know that."

"Oh, Lukas…"

"Wait. Wait, I'm not finished." He takes a deep breath. "You're just…you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. So many people have given up on me, but you haven't - you've never doubted me, even when I've given you so little in return – "

"Lukas – "

"And I want to say I'm sorry, and thank you. I never thought I would end up with someone like you, someone I could love so deeply with my whole heart, but then you showed up and – I love you. So, so much."

He lowers his head, shy and nervous and fearing with every second the silence lasts that Matthias is going to laugh, that he doesn't feel the same. Then, he hears a quiet sniffle, and a moment later, Matthias' arms are around him.

"Lukas, you've given me so much. I love you the way you are. I can feel your love for me every day in the little things – the way you make treats for me just because you want to, when you let me talk to you about things you don't know about because you know how important it is to me, the way you'll cuddle with me in bed and give me little kisses, and keep kissing my hair even when you think I'm asleep. The way you gave me your marshmallow, even though they're your favourite sweet! Never, ever apologise for the way you love me."

Lukas can feel the tears prickling at his eyes, and he presses his face into Matthias' jacket and clutches him so tightly he feels like his heart could burst. Matthias clings to him, kisses the top of his head and breathes him in deeply.

In the distance, a church bell chimes.

Matthias lifts his head. "That's it. That's the new year."

Lukas wipes his eyes and smiles at him. "I'm glad I'm spending it here, with you."

"Me, too." Matthias' arm tightens around him, and he leans into the embrace as, in the city below them, the first fireworks shoot into the sky.

**II**

Tino smiles as he watches his children run shrieking around the yard.

It's almost midnight, and usually he would have sent them to bed hours ago, after a story and a kiss on the forehead – but tonight is New Year's Eve, the end of a decade, and everything is different. He has laid out a blanket on the grass so the family can all sit together and watch the nearby fireworks display.

"Ahh! Papa, no, stop!" Peter falls to the ground squealing as Berwald tickles him, growling like a bear. "Erland, help me!"

Erland leaps onto Berwald's back in counterattack, and Berwald shakes him off and starts to tickle him as well. Hana runs around them in erratic circles, yapping excitedly.

Tino smiles at the sight of his husband and children playing – even after their ten years of marriage, he has never once regretted his decision. He and Berwald have their quarrels, but he could never love another person the way he loves Berwald, and they've raised a perfect family together; two adorable, happy young sons and and a dog, all in a sweet suburban house with a good school nearby.

As a teenager, he never thought he'd make it this far – but he has, and every year, he is always so, so thankful for the way his life has turned out.

"Papa, look, look! Fireworks!" Both children cease their game and crowd at the fence to see the fireworks shoot into the sky and shimmer back down to Earth. Tino watches them too, entranced, until an arm falls around his shoulders.

"Hey," Berwald says.

"Hi." Tino raises into the tips of his toes to kiss his husband on the lips. He pouts. "Why are you so tall?"

"Why are you so small?" Berwald gives him the tiny, playful smirk he has grown to love.

"So I can do this!" He jumps into Berwald's arms, wrapping his arms around his neck and his legs around his waist. Berwald catches him easily and holds him close, lowering his chin so their noses brush and their eyes connect. "I can kiss you better up here."

"Oh, really?" Berwald's eyes, darkened in the twilight, are sparkling with mischief.

"Yes." He connects their lips briefly, then pulls away. "See?"

"Mm-hm."

"_Mm-hm_," Tino mimics, and kisses him again.

He feels Berwald smile against his lips, then the next moment, he is being spun in the air. Tino squeals and clings to him tightly. "Ahh, what are you doing?"

Berwald doesn't answer, just spins him even faster. When he finally stops, Tino can feel his chest rising and falling from exertion, and the world is a multicolour blur of Christmas lights and fireworks. Tino gently hits a fist against Berwald's chest. "You're crazy," he laughs breathlessly. "You know that?"

Berwald meets his eyes intensely. "I'm crazy about you."

From the park beyond the fence, the crowd begins chanting. **_Five…four…three…two…one…_**

The joyous whistles and cheers erupt – and a moment later, Erland and Peter come barrelling into them, Hana yapping at their ankles. Berwald stumbles and releases Tino onto his feet. He stays in Berwald's embrace, but opens his arms wide enough that their children can join.

Tino gazes around at his little family in the moonlight, and his heart is full.

**III**

Emil cringes as another body pushes past him. The Main Street is swarming with people waiting excitedly to ring in the new year, their bodies packed so closely it's almost impossible to move past. But Leon's grip on his hand is firm, pulling him steadily onwards through the crowd, and he clings to it like a lifeline.

"Not far now," Leon calls over his shoulder. "It's worth it, you'll see."

Usually, Emil would be at home on New Year's Eve, drinking sparkling cider and watching the ball drop on television. But this year, when his boyfriend had messaged him asking to meet at the marketplace before midnight, he had accepted immediately.

He doesn't like crowds, or noise, or being out after dark – but it's worth it to spend time with Leon.

Finally, they reach the bridge, and Leon pulls him aside against the railings. The crowd is thinner here, and they finally have enough space to breathe and look each other in the eye.

"Hey," Leon says, his eyes glittering golden-brown in the lamplight.

Emil can't help but smile. "Hi." He blushes. "I missed you."

Leon laughs and wraps a warm arm around him. "It's not been that long! I saw you on Christmas Eve."

"Too long."

"You're adorable." Leon pinches his cheek. "You're the cutest boyfriend ever."

Emil buries his face in Leon's chest, embarrassed. "M'not."

"Yes, you are."

"No, you are."

"No, you."

"No – " Leon ducks his head and silences him with a kiss. Emil closes his eyes and presses closer, deepens the kiss, and Leon responds with equal pressure – and suddenly the world shrinks to just the two of them, the warmth of their bodies pressed together and the electricity of their embrace.

Suddenly, a ripple of excitement runs through the crowd. Emil draws back, slightly dazed, and looks around. "What's happening?"

Leon looks at his watch. "It's almost time. Ten seconds."

As if on cue, the crowd begins the countdown in unison. Emil catches Leon's eye, sees the sparkle of anticipation, and they join in, their voices carried away by the energy of the people around them. In that moment, Emil suddenly feels a strange connection to all these people; all these strangers with whom he has nothing in common, except that they're all moving into the new year, the new decade, together.

_"Three…two…one…"_

The moment the bell chimes, Emil feels Leon's arm fling around his shoulders and the click of his phone camera. It's so unexpected, he doesn't have time to put on his usual shy scowl for the camera – instead, Leon captures him in his raw happiness, grinning and laughing in the first second of the new year.

As the crowd begins to scatter around them, Leon lowers his phone and shows Emil the photograph.

Behind them, the dark river glows with the reflections of fireworks bursting above it, and their faces are lit golden by the lights around them. They're both grinning, faces pressed close together, eyes scrunched up with pure unfiltered joy.

Emil blinks. He's always thought he was ugly in photographs, so it's strange to see himself looking so radiant; but it's strange in a good way, he thinks. It's like a new version of himself, a version he hasn't met yet.

"Do you like it?" Leon asks.

"Yeah," he whispers. "Yeah, I do. Can you send it to me?"

"Sure."

Leon types on his screen, and, a second later, Emil's phone lights up. He taps in his passcode and clicks on the message, and smiles as the photograph fills his screen – their joyful, glowing faces, alight with the promise of a new beginning.

His eyes travel to the bottom of the picture, where Leon has added a simple caption:

**Happy New Year!**

* * *

**This story was written and published within just a few hours today. I wasn't planning to write anything special for the New Year, but suddenly I decided I wanted to - so here it is.**

**I hope all of you will have a wonderful new year full of happiness and good things - and let's hope this decade brings about lots of positive changes in our lives, and in the entire world.**

**Happy New Year, everyone!**


End file.
